Ice cube tray



Feb. l, 1944. L. L, MALLARD ICE CUBE TRAY Filed Aug. 22, 1940 Palmares. 1.1944

UNITED STATES PATENT loi-Fl'cE Nnolxollr, Va.

Application Alim 22, 194, Sel'll N0. 353,728 10 Claims (Cl- (i2-108.5)

This invention relates to an ice cube tray of the type designed to be placed in a domestic refrigerator and in which ice cubes are frozen.

.More particularly, this invention relates to an ice cube tray having a grid member in which the partitions thereof are relatively movable in order to cause enlargement of the freezing cells to more easily release the cubes of ice contained therein.

This application is a continuation in partof my previous applications, Ser. Nos. 204,646 and 239,723.

An object of this invention is to provide a grid for an ice tray from which the ice may be quickly and easily ejected after removal of the grid and ice from the tray. A further object is to provide an improved grid member in which the longitudinal partition is articulated to permit bowing thereof after removal of the grid from the tray, so as to enlarge the freezing cells and thus release the ice.

A further object is to provide stop members at each joint of the articulated longitudinal partition in order to cause a uniform bowing of this partition throughout its length. so that each freezing cell will be equally enlarged and the ice cubes thus more easily released.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means on the transverse partitions to position these .partitions in such a location as to bisect the angle formed by adjacent edges of adjacent segments of the longitudinal partition when the latter partition is in bowed position. A further object of thisV invention is to provide separate and distinct operating devices for disengaging the grid and ice from the tray, and for bowing the grid and ejecting the ice cubes.

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal view, partly in vertical section, of the tray and grid, and showing the grid in bowed position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontalsection taken through the pivots of the longitudinal partition of the grid;

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of one of the longitudinal segments, showing the connecting links;

Fig. 4 -is a detailed view of one of the transverse partition members;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary section similar to Fig. 1 of a modiiied form of my invention in which the links are made integral with the segments;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 2 of the modification shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a detailed view similar to Fig. 3 of the modication shown in Fig. 5.

The tray I0 is a conventional ice tray, made of good heat conductive material, preferably valuminum, and designed to be placed in a domestic refrigerator and to have ice frozen therein. The grid II has a longitudinal partition formed of a plurality of segments I2 and I3. These segments are interconnected by links I1 lying along each face of segments I2 and I3 to retain the segments in a single plane. The mounting of the links Il on the segments I2 vand I3 is such as to provide for a relative pivotal movement between the various segments, which results in an articulated strip or partition capable of being bowed upon the application of a suitable force.

Hook-like extensions I4 are provided on the upper edge of the segments I2 and I3, which project in the same plane as and beyond the segments upon which they are mounted, and above the adjacent segment,` terminating a short distance above the upper edge of the adjacent segment when the longitudinal partition is in an unbowed position.

In assembling the grid II, one of the transverse partitions I6- is placed between each adjacent segment of the longitudinal partition. This is accomplished by passing the links I1 through the slot 21 formed in the central portion of the partitions I6. The links I1 are pivotally secured to the segments I2 and I3 by rivets or other suitable securing devices 20. The connection of links I1 to segments I2 and I3 is such that the segments may freely pivot on the rivets 20.

A horizontally extending portion I5 is formed at the top central portion of the transverse member I6. This horizontal portion is adapted to lie between the upper edge of one adjacent segment I2 and the hook-like portion I4 of the other adjacent segment. The horizontally extending portion I5 is turned downwardly at the end, and a slot 28 is provided therein to engage the upper edge of the segment I2 and maintain the partitions I6 perpendicular to the longitudinal partitions I2 at all times.

The end segments I3 of the longitudinal portion are provided with an outwardlyv extending portion adapted tol overlie opposite marginal edges of the tray I0. Foot members or ejectors 2I are pivotally secured to these portions byA rivets or other suitable securing devices 22. A lever 23 is pivotally secured to the upper portion of one of the ejectors 2I by means of a suitable fastener 24. A second lever 25 is pivotally secured to the lever 23 near the pivoted end thereof. A link 26 is pivotally secured at one end to the upperportion of the other ejector 2|, and at the other end to the lever 25 near the pivoted end thereof. The linkage is so proportioned that when the grid is lying in the tray, overlie the hooked portions' I4 of partition. In this position the lever 25 will nest horizontally about link 26, and the lever 23 will nest horizontally above both the lever 25 and the Ilink 26. Y

When it is desired to remove the ice and grid from the tray III, the lever 23 may be pivoted from horizontal to vertical position, the lever 254 remining in a substantiany horizontal position adjacent the link 26. This movement will draw the upper portions of the ejectors 2l towards each other, causing these ejectors to pivot about the pin 22 relative to the segments I3; thus projecting the bottom surface of the ejectors 2| rmly againstithe marginal rim of the pan I and forcing the grid and ice upward as a unit.

After the ice has been loosened from the pan, the lever 25 may then be raised to substantially vertical position coinciding approximately with the position of the lever 23. This will result in drawing the projecting portions of the segments I3. towards each other, and will cause the articulated longitudinal partition composed of the segments I2 and I3 to pivot on the rivets 20 and assume a bowed contour as shown in Fig. 1. The

amount oi' relative rotation between the seg-` ments, or bowing, is controlled by the hook-like portions I4 of the segments I2 and I3, which act as stops to limit the relative rotation.

Since the substantially horizontal portion I oiv each transverse partition I6 lies between the end of the hooked portion I4 and the upper edge 'of the adjacent segment I2, it is thus firmly seized between the outer end ofthe hook-like portion 3 I 4 and the upper edge of the adjacent segment I2. The precise angle between the horizontal portion and the vertical portion of the partition I6 is such that when the grid is in full bowed position, each of the transverse partitions I5 will approximately bisect the angle formed by theadjacent vertical edges of adjacent segments I2.v It will be noted that there is suilicient clearance between the links I1 and the rectangular slot 21 to allow a limited pivotal rotation of the partition I6 about the links I1 in the Aplane of the longitudinal partition. Y j

A further modification is shown in Figs. 5,. 6, and 7, in which extensions I8 and I9 are formed integral with thesegments I2', see Fig. 7, to take the place of the links II. In this event the adjacent segments of the longitudinal partition are mounted in overlapping relation as shown in Fig. 6 so as to form substantially a single plane made up of a multiplicity of overlapping units.

As a further modication of either form, the horizontal projection of the transverse partition I6 may be formed as shown in` Fig. 5 without a vertical portion at the end thereof. In this event I prefer to slot the horizontal projection and engage it with the hook-like extension I4 of the adjacent segment in order to keep the partitionv I6 in alignment. It is usually desirable to form an extended terminus on the hooklike portion I4 in `order to assure engagement with the up per edge of adjacent segments I2 when the longitudinal partition is bowed, as shownin Figs. 5 an It will be seen from the foregoing description that I have provided an. ice tray grid in which the ice is quickly and easily loosened by deforn1- ing the grid to break the bond between the grid and the ice. 'Ihis not by the bending of any portion of the grid,

the longitudinal deformation is accomplished i and completely break .but byriproviding for relative the va sions I 5 on partitions I6, I havev provided a grid in which, when bowed, each ice cell with be substantially equally increased in size so as to easily the bond between the grid and the ice.

The relative movement between the segments i ments being in overlapped relation and each having an extension on ments to each other, projecting portions of for maintaining said means, including slotted said transverse partitions,

rotation of said segments.

5. In a grid for an ice tray, Aa. series of segments pivotally connected to each other forming a longitudinal partition, a series of transverse` partitions pivotally mounted on the upper por.-

`tion of said longitudinal partition and forming with said longitudinal partition and the tray a series of freezing cells, hook-like members formed on the upper portion of said segments in a manner Such as to bear upon the segment adjacent thereto upon bowing said longitudinal partition in order to limit the bowing movement thereof, and longitudinal projections formed ony the upper portion of said transverse partitions and adapted to lie between the hook-like portion of one segment and the upper portion of the adjacent segment to position said transverse partition upon bowing said longitudinal partition.

6. In a grid for an ice tray. a series of pivotally connected segments forming a longitudinal partition, a series of transverse partitions, projections formed on the end segments o! said longitudinal partition and adapted to overlie the marginal walls of the tray, means pivotally` mounted on each oi said projections, and adapted when pivoted to eject said grid, and means for bowing said grid to eject ice cubes there.- from, said means comprising a lever pivoted to one of said ejecting means, a second lever pivoted to said iirst lever, and means linking said second lever and said other ejecting means.

7. In a grid for an ice tray, a, series of segments pivotally connected to each other forming a longitudinal partition, a transverse partition lying between each pair of said segments mounted for movement with certain of the latter, a hook-like portion formed on the upper edge of each of said segments and overlying the segment adjacent thereto, and projections on the upper portion of said transverse partitions lying between said hook-like portion and the next adjacent segment, said hook-like portion serving to lixit the relative rotation of said adjacent segmen 8. In a grid for an ice tray, a series of seg- .ments pivotally connected to each other forming a longitudinal partition, a series of transverse partitions pivotally mounted on the4 upper portion of said longitudinal partition and forming with said longitudinal partition and the tray a series of freezing cells, and hook-like members formed on the upper portions of at least certain of said segments in a manner such as to bear against the segments adjacent thereto upon bowing said' longitudinal partition in order to limit the bowing movement thereof.

9. In a grid for an ice tray, a series of segments connected to one another for pivotal movement about their upper extremities and lying in a single piane and together forming a longitudinal partition, a series of transverse partitions lying between said segments and mounted for movement with certain of the latter, means pivotally connecting said segments, and means limiting the relative rotation of said segments, said latter means comprising hooklike projections extending from the top portions ofat least certain of the segments and overlying the segments next adjacent thereto.

10. In a grid for an ice tray, a series of segments pivotallyconnected to each other in the region of their-upper extremities and forming a longitudinal partition, a transverse partition lying between each pair oi' said segments, said transverse partitions being mounted for pivotal movement about their upper extremities, and a hook-like projection formed on the top of each of said segments and overlying the upperedge pf the segment adjacent thereto to limit the relative rotation therebetween, each of said hooklike projections terminating in a flange overlying the adjacent transverse partition. 

